USDA Secretary Rollins Details $10 Billion in Economic Assistance Funding
On National Ag Day, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins detailed new Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) funding for producers of several commodities — including corn, soybeans, wheat and other row crops — who’ve experienced economic loss due to higher input costs and lower commodity prices.
Signup starts Wednesday, March 19 and lasts until Aug. 15, 2025. See full details here.
The $10 billion will be issued based on a producers’ 2024 Farms Service Agency (FSA) Report of Acreage, with the payment being prorated to 85%.
Producers are encouraged to either show up to their local FSA office as soon as Wednesday or apply online, where a calculator will be available for producers to determine funding. A pre-filled application is also being sent to growers that they can sign and either mail back or drop off at their local FSA office.
Other commodities eligible for funding are barley, oats, sorghum, and, among others, canola. Specialty crops and dairy products are not included.
To calculate a producer’s ECAP payment, FSA will multiply the payment rate for an eligible commodity by the producer’s planted acres, or 50% of prevented plant acres, of that eligible commodity. The funds were authorized by Congress via the American Relief Act and payment limitations will be determined by average gross income.
Graphic by USDA
“It’s fitting that we’re announcing the details of the program on National Ag Day,” Brooke Appleton, USDA’s deputy undersecretary for farm production and conservation, told industry leaders during a briefing Tuesday.
“This streamlined process is in line with the Trump administration’s mission to deploy resources for our farmers in a way that reduces the burden on them. We’re also being transparent throughout this process. ECAP payments will be issued as applications are approved, but the initial payments will be factored by 85% to ensure that the total program payments do not exceed the available funding.”
That said, USDA expects there to be another round of payments, which is good news for producers facing higher costs and market uncertainty and as promised by the Trump administration, said Secretary Rollins.
“The Trump Administration is ensuring they get the support they need without delay,” Rollins added in a statement. “With clear direction from Congress, USDA has prioritized streamlining the process and accelerating these payments ahead of schedule, ensuring farmers have the resources necessary to manage rising expenses and secure financing for next season.”
Written by Mitch Galloway / Michigan Farm Bureau